Middle Fork Open by Special Use Permit

Chugach State Park has opened Middle Fork Trail to snow biking but you have to get a special use permit to do so. This year the process is simple: email csp@alaska.gov and give them your name, address and email address. They will send you a permit within 4 working days and you must affix the permit to your bicycle in plain view. Fat tire bikes only.

Please note that the permit is good for Dec. 1st through April 1st. Whether we are permitted next year depends on positive interactions with other trail users.

Attached is a map of Middle Fork and the clarification of where we can legally ride this winter.

Sweet

Thanks JT. Dudes, get your permits so we can be popular with the slidey people. Also, be the sweetest dude or dudette you can be when passing and get off the trail for them. A little butt kissing, er, niceness will go a long way.

Sweet!

Originally Posted by Elfbkr50

Thanks JT. Dudes, get your permits so we can be popular with the slidey people. Also, be the sweetest dude or dudette you can be when passing and get off the trail for them. A little butt kissing, er, niceness will go a long way.

andysinak-
Those are the trails legally open year round. The Middlefork is not open in the summer. I think they are included on the permit for our education.
(11 AAC 20.050. Bicycles) is State Regulation.
I believe the bike path is closed due to avalanche potential this time of year. They work with DOT on that section.

andysinak-
Those are the trails legally open year round. The Middlefork is not open in the summer. I think they are included on the permit for our education.
(11 AAC 20.050. Bicycles) is State Regulation.
I believe the bike path is closed due to avalanche potential this time of year. They work with DOT on that section.

It just looks funny the way the "Permit" lists where you can ride in CSP without a permit. The statement in the permit; "Biking is allowed...." makes it sound like the permit authorizes it. If it said "in addition to all the trails open to biking year round in CSP, this permit authorizes riding on the MFT" I wouldn't have commented.

We're stoked that Chugach State Park officials are trying very hard to work with the mountain bike community to improve access to the park! They are looking at changing regulation to open trails to winter fat tire bikes such as the MiddleFork Trail, Lost Cabin Trail, and the Eagle River Corridor. This would first have to go through the public process and comment period. After initiated the regulatory process can take 9 months to a year.

I wish they could wave a magic wand and get us official access now, but they have to work within their legal constraints. I'm pretty impressed that given how short staffed they are they are able to work with us on the matter. We're a priority and I like that!

BTW, don't thank me for getting the permit. You can thank STA board members Darcy Davis and Steve Ryan, plus Ben Ball the guy who started all this in the first place!